Monsieur Rambaud and Madame Deberle were overcome by emotion.  There was an interval of silence, but when the latter opened the door halfway it was all over.  There had been no noise—­scarcely a stir.  The screws, oiled beforehand, now closed the lid for ever.  The chamber was left empty, and a white sheet was thrown over the coffin.

The bedroom door remained open, and no further restraint was put upon Helene.  On re-entering the room she cast a dazed look on the furniture and round the walls.  The men had borne away the corpse.  Rosalie had drawn the coverlet over the bed to efface the slight hollow made by the form of the little one whom they had lost.  Then opening her arms with a distracted gesture and stretching out her hands, Helene rushed towards the staircase.  She wanted to go down, but Monsieur Rambaud held her back, while Madame Deberle explained to her that it was not the thing to do.  But she vowed she would behave rationally, that she would not follow the funeral procession.  Surely they could allow her to look on; she would remain quiet in the garden pavilion.  Both wept as they heard her pleading.  However, she had to be dressed.  Juliette threw a black shawl round her to conceal her morning wrap.  There was no bonnet to be found; but at last they came across one from which they tore a bunch of red vervain flowers.  Monsieur Rambaud, who was chief mourner, took hold of Helene’s arm.

“Do not leave her,” whispered Madame Deberle as they reached the garden.  “I have so many things to look after!”

And thereupon she hastened away.  Helene meanwhile walked with difficulty, her eyes ever seeking something.  As soon as she had found herself out of doors she had drawn a long sigh.  Ah! what a lovely morning!  Then she looked towards the iron gate, and caught sight of the little coffin under the white drapery.  Monsieur Rambaud allowed her to take but two or three steps forward.

“Now, be brave,” he said to her, while a shudder ran through his own frame.

They gazed on the scene.  The narrow coffin was bathed in sunshine.  At the foot of it, on a lace cushion, was a silver crucifix.  To the left the holy-water sprinkler lay in its font.  The tall wax tapers were burning with almost invisible flames.  Beneath the hangings, the branches of the trees with their purple shoots formed a kind of bower.  It was a nook full of the beauty of spring, and over it streamed the golden sunshine irradiating the blossoms with which the coffin was covered.  It seemed as if flowers had been raining down; there were clusters of white roses, white camellias, white lilac, white carnations, heaped in a snowy mass of petals; the coffin was hidden from sight, and from the pall some of the white blossoms were falling, the ground being strewn with periwinkles and hyacinths.  The few persons passing along the Rue Vineuse paused with a smile of tender emotion before this sunny garden where the little body lay at peace amongst the flowers.  There seemed to be a music stealing up from the snowy surroundings; in the glare of light the purity of the blossoms grew dazzling, and the sun flushed hangings, nosegays, and wreaths of flowers, with a very semblance of life.  Over the roses a bee flew humming.